My 600th Yelp Elite review!! Celebrated our 1 year anniversary of moving to Toms River! At our local favorite restaurant Gal's with our family!! Authentic Mediterranean cuisine! Full of flavors and aromas! Exceptional service! We typically don't make reservations but we did for a party of 6. Plenty of parking on site! read more

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AWFUL!!! Food + Service!!! Went for breakfast because we were excited to order the crepes. There was only one other family in the restaurant at the time. I ordered blueberry, my mom ordered strawberry. 20 minutes later I get my blueberry crepes (as pictured) and the waiter hands my mom a plate of a crepe with blueberry and banana -- He said the chef is out of strawberries and wondered if "that was okay" -- NO, NOT OKAY! Why the hell would you 1) Not tell her what the chef told you and ask if she would like anything else, 2) Assume she would be okay with whatever the hell you brought out to her?? She proceeded just to get the blueberry "crepe" -- 10 minutes she had her crepe. By the way, there's a BIG difference between actual crepe batter and pancake batter -- just because you thin it out doesn't mean it becomes a crepe. We tried a little bit of it. It was not good -- At all. We both refused to finish the food because it was just .. Bad. The waiter comes back - I think his name was Metro? Started with a "M" - and asks is we want a box, I said, "No we're finished." Our plates were clearly still full. He never asked or checked up on us while we were eating, never asked if everything was okay with the food, and he swiftly took our plates away and brought the check per our request. Soo many service errors and for the prices, you guys need to step up your requirements especially if you expect to charge people for a premium. The quality you expect is NOT the quality you guys are giving out. ZERO stars if that was possible. read more

Gal Mediterranean Cuisine - Blueberry crepe?? Thinned out pancake batter with blueberries thrown in - Mediterranean Near Me - Toms River, New Jersey

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Dined here last evening. Arrived early 5 pm and the place was only about 20% occupied, but it filled up during the next hour and a half. Ambiance is pleasant. You can tell this was a diner, but they really improved it. It is byob but also they are allowed to sell a few local wines if you forget to bring wine. Osman was our very friendly and attentive server. They start by bringing out a warm large, puffy Turkish bread. Tasty. We ordered an appetizer of Babaganoush. Good. For entrees, we had Lamb Shank with potatoes and vegetables, $34.95 and Lamb Sautée which was cubes of Lamb in a casserole with lots of veggies enclosed in another Turkish bread, $33. Everything was delicious. No room for desert. I always pay cash for dinners, so I was pleased to see the bill with two prices, if you pay cash ---- if you pay credit card -----. This was our first time trying Gal. We will certainly be back. read more

Gal Mediterranean Cuisine - Entrees 5/23/26 - Mediterranean Near Me - Toms River, New Jersey

First visit to Gal last night- service was exceptional (Osman was helpful, funny and just great overall!) The lavash bread is fantastic to start and all of our entrees were brought out quickly, cooked perfectly and delicious! And don't skip dessert or the Turkish tea. Cannot recommend higher! read more

Gal Mediterranean Cuisine - Chicken Adana Kebab - Mediterranean Near Me - Toms River, New Jersey

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Wait staff is rude and impatient...doesn't like questions...quality of food does not match prices.

Came here on a Friday night on my visit down the shore. Found this place via Yelp and Google. Saw the pictures and reviews and decided to give this place a shot. When you enter it feels like the place was a diner before but now it has a nice and modern decor. They give complimentary puff bread which was fresh and warm served with seasoned olive oil. Started off with fried calamari with tartar sauce which was solid. For my main I got the chicken shish kebab ($27) and it was good, not much char on it but still good. Overall had a good experience and I would recommend this place if you are in the mood for Mediterranean food. * Parking on premise * great service read more

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Gal was formally the Crystal Diner. They did a nice job decorating and making it a fun, cool place. If you look around you can tell it was a diner but who cares? We made a reservation for 6:30 on a Saturday evening to celebrate my wife's bday. Upon arrival the place was mobbed. We were promptly seated at 6:30. Looking at the menu there are lots of Mediterranean options. For apps we chose the Gal mixed salad, egg plant salad and falafel. They brought out two huge pita breads that were super thin and delicious along with some olive oil. We began ordering entrees, there were 6 at our table. When it was my turn I asked the waiter if the lamb shank was good. I enjoy a bit of back and forth with servers. This guy said "yeah it's good", that was it. Ok I'll take it. When the entrees began to come out all entrees came out with exception to my shank. The waiter apologized and admitted he failed to enter it in. But he said he's putting it in now and the kitchen will have it right out. I continued picking on the salad and eggplant salad that remained. I had a piece of my daughter's chicken which was very good. After a few minutes I was full, honestly. That server continued coming back apologizing. I said no big deal, it's an accident. Eventually I said I no longer want the shank, I'll take it to-go. He continued to apologize and brought the shank out in a to-go bag. When we were all done with entrees he brought out a tray of fruit and a bowl of almond pudding as an apology which was very nice. They were very busy and it wasn't intentional. I'll give them a pass, everything was very good and we look forward to returning. read more

Gal Mediterranean Cuisine - Dining room - Mediterranean Near Me - Toms River, New Jersey

First time visit, everything was very good. Service was excellent. Wide selection of dishes from a Turkish Mediterranean specialty. The dining room is a bright open spacious room with windows looking out on Rt 37. It is a converted Diner and still has that vibe but it is still enjoyable. read more

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We made reservations for a Saturday night 7:00pm, arrived on time and the restaurant was 50% full. The hostess brought us to the most undesirable table in the restaurant. Right by the waiters station and the bar. We turned and asked about all those tables by the window that were empty. She did seat us when we asked The waiter was gruff and not very helpful. They brought out Turkish bread that was really cool and tasty. The Greek salad and the entrees were mediocre at best. I was hoping for a good restaurant as we love a good Greek/Mediterranean restaurant. We will continue our search and won't be back here read more

I love Mediterranean food, and this place has just what I was looking for. Pleasant, clean, and delicious food. "They have Grape Leaves!" Their menu also has a variety of different dishes to choose from if you don't want Mediterranean. The waiter was pleasant and accommodating. I would recommend it, I'll be ordering from them again. read more

very nice restaurant, it just opened a few months ago. The inside decor is very lovely. The staff are very accommodating and the menu is very expensive, they were a lot of great choices especially for a vegetarian like Me. It is bring your own although they do sell bottles of wine, you can purchase. read more

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Looking for a different taste; something different than the ubiquitous italian food that you find everywhere. Gal offers that with an emphasis on Mediterranean and Turkish flavors. Friendly professional staff will guide you through the menu in a contemporary atmosphere. read more

This is my new favorite spot!! We visited on a Tuesday night (6ish) and it was packed. Make a reservation to ensure seating! The space is beautiful, the service was perfect and the food soooo good. They send out a free starter of their bread and dipping oil. It was yummy but they took it away before our meals arrived and we would've kept picking at it. For starters we had the lentil soup and eggplant appetizer. I nearly licked the bowl and plate. For dinner my hubby had the lamb kebabs and I had the vegetable casserole. Both were delicious. The table next to mine raved about branzino. There are so many other menu items I want to try so we'll be back. The decor is chic. The only thing that my husband didn't like was the closeness of tables where we were seated. If you have a group you can request a booth to avoid this. Go check them out! read more

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Wow! I've been here several times and the food is always spectacular!!!! First of all, this restaurant used to be a diner and the new place is warm, creative, comfortable and pretty. The staff is always friendly and attentive, and water was refilled and awesome bread refilled without asking. The spreads are amazing, and every entree I've tried is outstanding. They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The menu has a lot of choices for all meals. read more

One of the worst meals i ever had Chicken gyro dinner was simple greasy chicken brought to the table with hot sauce. Unbelievable what passes for food. Why destroy your business with such poor quality read more

Who knew that a converted diner would turn out to be such a great spot for such delicious Mediterranean food. Gal turned out to be a real pleasant surprise, the ambience inside was bright and fun and the service warm and friendly. To start our server started us off with a puffy bread that looked almost alien but turned out to be so delicious, we dipped it in olive oil and olives that were also given to us. For me, when we decided to try this place I had one thing in mind, Char-Grilled Lamb Chops and they definitely didn't disappoint, flavorful and served with rice and vegetables. My wife went with the Lamb Shank that was just fall off the bone, melt in your mouth, delicious. Well we didn't get apps this time but we definitely made up for it with dessert. We got both the Baklava, which is a must get when you're at a Mediterranean restaurant and an amazing Limoncello Cake, so good. This restaurant was definitely a great experience and we will certainly be back. read more

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Everything went well with our experience food was well prepared delicious if you'd like to try different foods from different cultures this was a good experience. The lamb was delicious. The hummus appetizer also freshly made and their flatbread was delicious very good portions the whole atmosphere of the place was very pleasant clean comfortable staff very friendly definitely coming back. Great place date night. read more

The food was not great. We had to ask for pita bread, which was not great. It had a lot of seeds in it. I had falafel lunch. It was very greasy from being fried in the oil. The salad was wilted lettuce, and I did not like the dressing. The rice was about the best part of the meal. It was edible. My friend got the chicken which was extremely dry! The chairs were seats that were pretty much caving in. Very uncomfortable. We paid cash and we counted it four times. When the waiter took it away, he came back and said it was $20 short. We are 110% sure it was not short at all. No apology at all. Don't ever go there and if you do count your money to the waiter or pay by credit card. You should make them count the money in front of you. WE NEVER HAD OUR WATER REFILLED!!! I was reading other reviews and they mentioned the dessert. They never asked if we wanted a dessert. Very bad meal. We had some food boxed to take home well we left it at the manager's table! All in all it was a very disappointing experience and we won't be back! The diner was so much better! read more

Excellent hidden gem fresh clean food knowledgeable staff welcoming great quality..all day specials read more

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Had the lamb gyro and chicken skewer dinners and it was excellent! Also, the salads were great with a lovely vinaigrette and we got chocolate baklavas for later. We will definitely go back soon! read more

We went to GAL on a cold Tuesday night about 6:30. The restaurant was not crowded having about 5-6 tables occupied when we arrived. We were greeted right away by a friendly waiter. Once settled in and wine (byob) opened, they bring out a fresh baked lavas bread for the table. To start, we ordered the hummus and babaganoush. When they arrived, the portions were quite ample. Both were excellent and we would have to say much better than the average that we have had in the area. We had a late lunch that day and were quite full from the ample starters, so we decided to split the Chicken Adana Kebob which was delicious and perfect to split. At that point, we did not think we could eat another thing, but we then ate the Sutlac which is a rice-pudding like dessert. VERY delicious. Both waiters, especially Talip, were genuinely friendly and attentive and made you feel right at home. Highly recommended and looking forward to going back real soon for sure. read more

I have to admit we ate here once before when it was a diner. When we sat down we realized it had changed owners. We were in a hurry as we had an appointment. We ordered an appetizer and a salad with chicken to split. Food was very good along with fresh baked Mediterranean bread. Inside ambiance is great. Only reason only 4 stars is it is a bit pricey for just an appetizer and salad. But worth a try!!! read more

Service was bad. Our waiter was rude. The lamb was tough and under seasoned. They forgot to bring yogurt sauce that came with my meal. Normally, I would have just asked but our waiter was unhappy and asking him to do his job seemed more than he could handle. Falafels were good. They were very unhappy we declined dessert. They shoved the menu in our faces as if it was not an option. I think they need to do more to remove the diner aspect of the decor. Just some lighting changes could help. read more

You have to try this place! Food was excellent, from the moment they brought out the out the puffed out bread with oil right to the chocolate mouse and Limoncello mascarpone cake. Food was fresh , beautiful ambiance, and excellent service. I will be back! Small selection of wine but each one we selected was wonderful. Great experience ! Thank you to the new owners of this much needed elegant place with a Mediterranean flair. Well done! read more

Food was delicious! Large portions! Great customer service.Wonderful ambiance. We had ordered the cheese rolls and the falafel as an appetizer. Wife and ai ordered 2 Iskender Lamb. It was amazing. We will be back. read more

We tried it for the 1st time last night! The Gavurdagi( Ottoman) salad & Kusbasili Pide that our server recommended were excellent, as were our entrees. And the cold baklava was refreshing & delicious. Our waiter was knowledgeable, personable, & professional A+. I saw that one person gave a two star review, I can't imagine that they dined at the same place, as everything was spot on.We will definitely be going back & bringing friends. read more

Food and service was amazing, loved the Mixed grill for 2. And best falafel I've literally ever had read more

Gal Mediterranean Cuisine - Mixed grill for 2 - Mediterranean Near Me - Toms River, New Jersey

One of the best meals I had. I had the whole grilled Branzino. It came with a delicious salad. It was a Saturday night. We had reservations and were seated immediately. The service was excellent and I chatted with some of the owners/servers upon leaving. I will go back often. Very pretty inside and I noticed a private section for large parties. Nothing went wrong. read more

Food was so hard to chew. This place will not last longer in TR and it's over priced.

Great food, the servers were so nice and friendly, polite, accommodating and overall very pleasant. The food was fresh and appetizing. Highly recommend it, and also great ambiance. read more

We had our first experience at GAL in Toms River the food was excellent our waiter Talip was great would recommend for a great experience

The food and the service were excellent. We did not feel at all rushed. The food was very fresh and quite delicious. The portions were less than expected considering they are a bit on the pricey side. read more

Really fresh food. Absolutely wonderful service and so much variety. I had Babagnosh and Labne for apps. And Falafel dinner which was amazing. Hubby had beef kabobs which he was absolutely in love with. We couldn't finish. But we will take home and eat. The ambiance is perfect. Place is super clean. We will definitely be back. read more

Gal Mediterranean Cuisine - Beef Kabobs - Mediterranean Near Me - Toms River, New Jersey

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Food was so fresh and presented well, our server was very nice and helpful in answering our questions. Overall highly recommend for the food. read more

We came here for Valentines Day and had Fabulous meal. The start homemade pita bread fresh from the oven! Next appetizers ...we got the sampler dips ...ahhhhhhmazing!! Entrees were delicious ...I highly recommend the lamb dish Kevin!!! Our server Talip was a very attentive server!! read more

Great place, authentic Turkish cuisine very friendly environment and the food is very delicious. Certainly would come and invite friends here. Shepard salad with cheese very tasty, chicken and lamb Adana were great. read more

What an upgrade to tie old crystal Diner! This place is redecorated beautifully! Very classy but chill Mediterranean feel. Food was fresh and authentic. Beautiful ceramic plates from turkey, warm fresh bread when we sat, Naan style with fresh olives and good quality olive oil. So impressed! My husband and I are trying to eat a clean Mediterranean diet and although this hit the spot. I had zucchini pancakes which came with fresh salad greens and homemade tzatziki and he had ravioli pesto. Our daughter loved her shrimp scampi. Give this place a try! A great edition to some fresh cultural options in Tom's River . read more

Gal Mediterranean Cuisine - My daughter enjoying her shrimp scampi :) - Mediterranean Near Me - Toms River, New Jersey

Wow!!!....this place is excellent! The ambiance is perfect, the entire restaurant is very clean including the bathrooms (which have incense burning and Turkish music playing). The food is probably the best I've had in years at a restaurant in Tom's River....we had a couple appetizers (stuffed grape leaves and beets w yogurt & spices)....for entree lamb gyro and falafal....absolutely amazing....Turkish coffees and baklava for desert....good price and great service!.....definitely will be a return customer....highly recommend.' read more

when a person with celiac disease tells this to his/her waiter and asks the waiter if he/she understands what celiac disease is and they say they do you trust in that. Then the person with celiac disease is served his food - with a piece of bread - we can assume they have no idea about celiac disease. You bring this to attention of the waiter who profusely apologizes takes the plate back to the kitchen. 10 minutes later the food is re-served and we are told it was taken care of. Well as you can guess it was not taken care of and my son was so sick that night and I am against posting negative reviews this had to be said. Not to mention it is expensive. If you have celiac disease be careful if you eat here. read more

I was there for a casual breakfast with friends. I cannot comment on the lunch menu and really do not like writing anything negative, but I must in this case. The service was pleasant but painfully slow and inattentive. My eggs were over cooked. Another's waffle felt like it was reheated and hard, not freshly cooked. The syrup was overly thick and hard to even pour on the waffle. We had to ask for more coffee. The waiter brought one coffee in a fresh cup (a nice touch) but only brought coffee for one of us. We had to ask for another cup for our other diner.... I always have to say something positive. With our eggs we were served a tossed salad. Unusual at best with breakfast, but it was very good. ...if you are looking for Mediterranean food this may be your answer, but for eggs and waffles, this may not be for you. read more